Renovation vs. Deconstruction
Keeping the Faith with Questions
The year was 1517 when a man robed in brown stood at a large door in town and glued a piece of paper. With his job done he casually walked away unaware of the events that would follow his actions. Martin Luther was a monk who was revered (or despised) as a reformer of the Catholic church. On October 31 he posted a list of 95 items he wanted to discuss. His “theses” have become famous because of the effect that they had on Medieval Europe and Christianity. But, was he a deconstructionist? That is the question I am posing today.
Define the Terms
First, let me define our terms. A deconstructionist is a person who is not focused on getting their theology right but is concerned with getting their inward experience to be expressed in their outward expression.1 Or to put it another way, they focus on what they have experienced over what they read. I know that might be a little reductive, but deconstructionism is hard to describe. It changes every year and the result doesn’t matter. It is all about the process.
Deconstructionists are an offshoot of modern progressivism, and they tend to view life more along postmodern ([an] intellectual stance or mode of discourse which challenges worldviews associated with Enlightenment rationality dating back to the 17th century)2 lines. I know that I have thrown a fair amount of big words at you so let me sum it up quick. Progressive deconstructionists have a mistrust for anything under a “traditional” umbrella and they want to dismantle or strip any tradition of its power or inherent theology. When it comes to Christianity specifically, they want to model it more after Buddhism or New Age spiritualism.
Renovationism might be a new term, or at least it should be since I am just creating it. What this term means is instead of dismantling an entire entity, like Christianity, we should view the thing as a building that might need work. Deconstructionists want to tear down the building or dig up the foundation, but I disagree with that approach. The foundation is fine, but the building might be rotting in some places. Rotten beams need to be replaced, peeling paint needs to be stripped, and some broken windows need to be fixed. A crumbling building doesn’t indicate a faulty foundation.
Biblical Reformation
Let me make one thing clear. I admire anyone who is honestly searching the scriptures for truth. We are called to evaluate what we believe. Don’t believe me? Read it yourself,
11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Acts 17:11 NIV
This idea that we are supposed to accept the word of our pastor or church without question is idiotic (if you are ever told not to question in church read Acts 17:11. They don’t like that leave that church). God gave us eyes to read, minds to think, and His word to be a filter. That is what Luther did, and that is what we should do.
Luther was not a deconstructionist. He had no plans on leaving the church nor did he want to fracture the church. He only wanted to investigate the scriptures and debate the correct interpretation. He wasn’t removing institutionalized power, casting down the patriarchy, or any other modern slogan thrown around. That is why I am arguing that he was a renovator.
Reformation means, “to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses.”3 That is what Luther was doing and I believe that we should do the same. This leaves us with two choices: is the Bible God’s word and inherently good, or is it man’s word and flawed? If it is the first then we need to go back to it to reform the church. If it is the second then deconstruction is pointless because the house is condemned and needs destruction, not deconstruction.
Renovation
I believe that the Bible is God’s word and that the church only needs to be renewed. It is crumbling here in America. Our pastors are failing us, the denominations are becoming corrupt, and evil has breached the walls. We need a national renewal project in this country.
I hope that you will join me in my efforts to renovate the Church of America. I could always use support in prayer, applauding, following, or commenting are great ways to help my message reach others. Thanks, and God bless.
- “The Deconstruction of Christianity” page 24
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reform
- Information on Luther taken frm “Martin Luther” by Eric Metaxas
